AI Hallucination Cases
This database tracks legal decisions1
I.e., all documents where the use of AI, whether established or merely alleged, is addressed in more than a passing reference by the court or tribunal.
Notably, this does not cover mere allegations of hallucinations, but only cases where the court or tribunal has explicitly found (or implied) that a party relied on hallucinated content or material.
As an exception, the database also covers some judicial decisions where AI use was alleged but not confirmed. This is a judgment call on my part.
in cases where generative AI produced hallucinated content – typically fake citations, but also other types of AI-generated arguments. It does not track the (necessarily wider) universe of all fake citations or use of AI in court filings.
While seeking to be exhaustive (608 cases identified so far), it is a work in progress and will expand as new examples emerge. This database has been featured in news media, and indeed in several decisions dealing with hallucinated material.2
Examples of media coverage include:
- M. Hiltzik, AI 'hallucinations' are a growing problem for the legal profession (LA Times, 22 May 2025)
- E. Volokh, "AI Hallucination Cases," from Courts All Over the World (Volokh Conspiracy, 18 May 2025)
- J-.M. Manach, "Il génère des plaidoiries par IA, et en recense 160 ayant « halluciné » depuis 2023" (Next, 1 July 2025)
- J. Koebler & J. Roscoe, "18 Lawyers Caught Using AI Explain Why They Did It (404 Media, 30 September 2025)
If you know of a case that should be included, feel free to contact me.3 (Readers may also be interested in this project regarding AI use in academic papers.)
Based on this database, I have developped an automated reference checker that also detects hallucinations: PelAIkan. Check the Reports 
in the database for examples, and reach out to me for a demo !
For weekly takes on cases like these, and what they mean for legal practice, subscribe to Artificial Authority.
| Case | Court / Jurisdiction | Date ▼ | Party Using AI | AI Tool ⓘ | Nature of Hallucination | Outcome / Sanction | Monetary Penalty | Details | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Taylor Button & Dusty Button v. Sigrid McCawley | S.D. Florida (USA) | 4 February 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
False Quotes
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Show Cause Order; Order to certify review of citations | — | — | |
| Kizzie Sims & Estate of Gregory Neil Davis v. Board of County Commissioners | W.D. Oklahoma (USA) | 3 February 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Lexos Media IP, LLC v. Overstock.com, Inc. | D. Kansas (USA) | 2 February 2026 | Lawyer | ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(6)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Brief struck, monetary sanction, firm compliance | 12000 USD | — | |
|
Order to show cause was here. |
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|
Source: Robert Freund
|
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| Emmanuel S. Yirenkyi v. Angela Hoover | M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 2 February 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Stephen Schaaf v. Nellis Auction Holdings, LLC, et al. | D. Nevada (USA) | 30 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Theoda E. Mills, Jr. v. City of St. Louis, et al. | E.D. Missouri (USA) | 30 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Case dismissed with prejudice as a Rule 11 sanction | — | — | |
|
Show Cause Order is here. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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| Wilcox v. Gingrinch | CA Indiana (USA) | 30 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(4)
|
— | — | ||
| SEC v. Joseph Nantomah et al. | E.D. Wisconsin (USA) | 30 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(3)
|
Brief Struck | — | — | |
| Ava Naeini v. Confluent Inc. | CA California (USA) | 29 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
| Dana Serine Greene v. GSK PLC | W.D. Washington (USA) | 29 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(5)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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| Nonnie Berg v. United Airlines, Inc. (2) | D. Colorado (USA) | 28 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
The court identified citations to seemingly nonexistent cases in the plaintiff's filings (e.g., "Hernandez" and "United States v. Miller"), noted prior warnings about AI-generated or unvetted citations, denied the motions, and warned it may recommend dismissal or similar sanctions if the conduct continues. |
|||||||||
| Abybatou Mbow v. Officer Michael Mackert et al. | D. Maryland (USA) | 28 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(4)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Life Together Coaching, LLC | GAO (USA) | 28 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: David Timm
|
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| Matter of: Bramstedt Surgical Inc. | GAO (USA) | 28 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(7)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: David Timm
|
|||||||||
| Gregory Hardy v. Genesee County Community Action Resource Department, et al. | E.D. Michigan (USA) | 28 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
|
Two reply briefs stricken; warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Brian Bailey v. Hon. Clark A. Ritchie, et al. | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 27 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Ihor Chopko v. Fidelity National Title Insurance Company | CA Arizona (USA) | 27 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Nelson Henry v. Joseph Iannone and James Deacetis | S.D. Florida (USA) | 27 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
| Cassata v. Michael Macrina Architect, P.C. | SC New York (USA) | 27 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Monetary Sanction; Brief struck | 10000 USD | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Lifetime Well LLC v. IBSpot.com Inc. | E.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 26 January 2026 | Lawyer | Lexis+ AI; LexisNexis Protégé |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction; Order to share opinion with Professional Association | 4000 | — | |
|
"Judges and commentators continue to warn lawyers about the risks of artificial intelligence shortcuts. We today address a more fundamental concern: lack of diligence and supervision of less experienced lawyers who can fairly expect supervision. The lawyers disregarded basic fundamental understandings learned in law school about the need to ensure the case citations presented to judges support what lawyers say they do. Counsel fell far short of this fundamental obligation warranting monetary sanctions against the New York co-counsel and non-monetary sanctions against both the New York co-counsel and her local Philadelphia co-counsel. Attorneys are again forewarned. Judges and their talented lawyers in Chambers scrutinize memoranda. Submissions containing unverified authority divert limited resources from other litigants who rely on their advocates’ careful research, accurate citation, and disciplined advocacy. These sanctions serve as a reminder the attorney’s oath of admission demands no less." |
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| MacroCharts Research LLC v. Tony Chou | N.D. California (USA) | 26 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Farag v. Persante et al | M.D. Florida (USA) | 26 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Exhibits or Submissions
(3),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Femhealth USA Carafem v. Rickey Nelson Williams | M.D. Tennessee (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Arguments Struck; Warning | — | — | |
| Dennis Thornton v. Flathead County, et al. | D. Montana (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to file conventional hard-copy source documents for every cited authority | — | — | |
| Mykhal Lloyd Polite v. TitleMax of Arizona | D. Arizona (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
The Court noted prior use of hallucinated cases attributed to purported AI use and denied Plaintiff's motion for leave to amend as futile. The Court previously denied an earlier motion for failing to comply and because of hallucinated cases; here futility and procedural deficiencies warranted denial. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Future Field Solutions v. Nordstrand | D. Maryland (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Exhibits or Submissions
(4)
|
No Sanctions at this time | — | — | |
| Ann K. Cady, Beth L. Corning, and Caron G. Roesler v. Matthew C. O'Malley | CA Wisconsin (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| United States v. Michael Shane DeBaere (2) | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 23 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Sidni Campbell v. John Campbell, Jr. | CA Texas (USA) | 22 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| McNeal v. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555; Safeway, Inc. | D. Oregon (USA) | 22 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Tolbert v. State | CA Georgia (USA) | 22 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1),
Exhibits or Submissions
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
Outdated Advice
Overturned Case Law
(1)
|
Counsel to serve opinion on client and State Bar; CLE; Bar referral | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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| That Xiong v. Minga Wofford | E.D. California (USA) | 22 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to inform client and staff of errors | — | — | |
| Solomon A. Jones v. Kankakee County Sheriff's Department, et al. | Seventh Circuit CA (USA) | 21 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Kaufman v. Upton | D. Massachusetts (USA) | 21 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Bar Referral | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Volesky v. Department of Child Safety | CA Arizona (USA) | 21 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Peter J. Allsot, as next friend of B.P.L.A. v. Naseem Latif | M.D. Florida (USA) | 20 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Oluronke Briana Adusei v. Colleen Auer, et al. | D. Arizona (USA) | 20 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Yue v. Reaction Labs, LLC | W.D. Texas (USA) | 20 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Mary Stephens v. Helena-West Helena School District | E.D. Arkansas (Delta Division) (USA) | 20 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Mitchell Taylor Button et al. v. John Jimison (2) | W.D. Washington (USA) | 20 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(6)
|
Struck filings | — | — | |
| Hodges v. Meridian Waste & Rieske v. AFS | M.D. Florida (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Adverse costs order; requirement to speak to bar associations or law students about experience | 7000 USD | — | |
| Tiffany K. v. Commissioner of Social Security | E.D. Michigan (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Steven E. Hobbs, Sr. v. Igor Goncharko, et al. (2) | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Alzado-Lotz v. Bock | D. Colorado (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Rev. Heidi Grossman Lepp v. Conrad Mallett, Jr., et al. | E.D. Michigan (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | OpenAI ChatGPT-4o |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Arguments ignored | — | — | |
|
The Court refused to consider a pro se plaintiff's AI-generated "Legal Analysis Report" produced with ChatGPT-4o because it contained incorrect and factitious citations and misstatements of law; the Rule 60(b) motion was denied. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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| Riverchase v. Paula Goldwyn | CA Kansas (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
Outdated Advice
Overturned Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Robby Mendez v. City of Topeka, et al. | D. Kansas (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — |
Plaintiff's Response
|
|
|
While the court did not ascertained whether the plaintiff's brief contained any hallucination, Pelaikan identified at least two, as well as several misrepresentations: see the report here. |
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| Bolima Tafah et al. v. Lake Village Townhomes et al. | D. Maryland (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Kideckel v. Canada | D. DC (USA) | 16 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Adverse Costs order | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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| North Atlantic Operating Company, Inc., et al. v. Indiana Import, LLC, et al. | S.D. Indiana (USA) | 15 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning; Order to retain local counsel | — |
Motion to Dismiss
|
|
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
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